NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC Debt Disclosure
NOTE 7 – PROMISSORY NOTE
The Company has a promissory note payable to Barrick of $166,296, comprising $158,916 in principal, and $7,380 in accrued interest at U.S. prime plus 2%, compounded semi-annually. The original promissory note resulted from the agreement that led to the formation of Donlin Gold, where the Company agreed to reimburse Barrick for a portion of their expenditures incurred from April 1, 2006 to November 30, 2007. The promissory note and accrued interest are payable from 85% of distributed processed products, cash and other assets, and payments of 5% of certain net proceeds specified in the promissory note. The carrying value of the promissory note approximates fair value.
Concurrently with the announcement of the Donlin Gold Transaction on April 22, 2025, the Company entered into a prepayment option agreement with Barrick, which provided the Company with an option to prepay the promissory note in full for $90,000 prior to the closing of the Donlin Gold Transaction. As the prepayment option was not exercised prior to the closing date, the prepayment option agreement expired on June 3, 2025. Concurrent with the closing of the Donlin Gold Transaction on June 3, 2025, the Company entered into an amended and restated secured promissory note with Barrick that provides the Company with the option to prepay the promissory note in full for $100,000 on or before December 3, 2026. In addition, the security package was modified in order to exclude any property held by Donlin Gold or the membership interest in Donlin Gold held by NGRA; however, it remains secured by NGRA’s right, title and interest to proceeds from Donlin Gold. All other terms of the promissory note remain the same.
Changes in the Company’s Promissory Note is summarized as follows:
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Years ended November 30, |
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2025 |
2024 |
2023 |
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Balance – beginning of year |
$ | 151,522 | $ | 136,748 | $ | 123,685 | ||||||
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Interest expense on promissory note |
14,774 | 14,774 | 13,063 | |||||||||
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Balance – end of year |
$ | 166,296 | $ | 151,522 | $ | 136,748 | ||||||
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jan 22, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2017 | Jan 24, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Jan 25, 2017 | |
About Debt Disclosures
Debt disclosures detail a company's borrowing structure — the types of instruments, interest rates, maturity schedule, and covenant restrictions that define its financial obligations and flexibility. This section is essential for assessing refinancing risk, interest rate exposure, and the margin of safety against financial distress.
Key signals: the maturity schedule reveals concentration risk — large maturities within 1-2 years during tight credit markets can force dilutive refinancing or asset sales. Compare the fair value of debt against carrying amount to gauge whether the market views the company's credit risk differently than the balance sheet suggests. Watch covenant compliance disclosures for tightening cushions, especially leverage and interest coverage ratios. Variable-rate debt exposure quantifies sensitivity to interest rate changes. Secured versus unsecured mix affects recovery rates and future borrowing capacity. Compare net debt-to-EBITDA against industry peers and covenant limits to assess financial health.